Singapore Zam-zam Restaurant :: Briyani Galore!!

Andy again, our Singapore food expert, and Najib.

Everytime I go to Singapore, I end up here. And of all the clean restaurants in Singapore---because you won't believe how clean Singapore is---I would say this one is the most comot of all. It comes very close to a Malaysian mamak restaurant: hustling, bustling, with floors needing a good scrub. The only clue that it's outstanding are the customers lining up outside waiting for a table. 

Menu. Click to enlarge.

I won't say that Zam-zam's briyani is spectacular (I just said it didn't I), but its definitely Very Very Good. A trip to Singapore is definitely incomplete without a visit to Zam-zam, even though you're just here to accompany your husband on a business trip and slow him down because you wore your least favourite high heels and its killing you. Slowly.  

Chicken briyani. Hot stuff!

kurma. A!

Here with Andy again, and Najib, another one of Mazlan's colleague. I have to say, my husband has very cool colleagues. All they do is talk about how wonderful their wives are and how much they miss them. When I am with my girlfriends, we usually talk about work. And where to get the best prices for everything. 

I ordered briyani with ayam kurma (4.5/5) Mazlan and Najib had chicken briyani (4/5) and Andy had murtabak singapore kambing version (4/5). I loved my kurma. It was delicious. Mazlan's was a bit hot but it was good too. Service was fast and after we were done we were almost ushered off our chairs and out onto the street. I noticed a big sign on the walls along the lines of "eat quickly and give your seat to our other much important hungry customers please".

Outside of the Masjid Sultan.

Interior. Men's place.

Road facing masjid. Around 10 pm. Awesome shot MM!

Masjid Sultan is right across the street from the restaurant and I fell instantly in love with it. It was old and ancient and Mazlan said the chandelier is the same as the one in Masjidil-Haram in Mecca (I guess they nicked one). I would have definitely liked to explore the mosque and the area around it further but I am reminded of the fact that I am here on a business trip and not on a Jalan-Jalan Makan Angin excursion. We don't want Mazlan to be the only husband who doesn't talk about how wonderful his wife is. :O

Singapore Zam-Zam Restaurant

North Bridge Road, Singapore 
near Masjid Sultan (Waze it!)

Cleanliness: C

Food: A

Price: A -- Reasonable

Service: B+ , food arrived fast, but so hard to get the waiters attention!

Atmosphere: B 

Satisfaction Level: B -- felt a bit rushed

NoorJannah's Kitchen, Singapore :: the one and only Opeh place in the entire world~

 [thanks to Mazlan for the pictures! click to enlarge]

Andy, in front of Al-Jannah restaurant (behind him)

My husband dragged me along with him on his latest business trip to Singapore. And I thought he is such an awesome guy. So I bought him a shirt while he met his bosses i.e., went shopping (tips rumahtangga bahagia #30) and blogged this down.

The first night we were there, Andy, his friend and colleage took us to this little place for dinner and I thought it was worth a review. It is unique and different and a fun night out of our little hotel room that is the size of a shoebox but equipped with modern gadgets. That's Singapore for you: small and expensive.

otak-otak: sotong, udang and mackeral flavours

Sotong goreng tepung. The batter tasted suspiciously of Adabi Tepung goreng pisang.

We started off with otak-otak. One piece is SGD$1.80 and you have to get five minimum. Don't be surprised but it tasted nicely like the ones at home, except the shape and size has gone through somewhat of a drastic transformation (its not cone-shaped but a big flat square). We hesitated to try some but the kindly lady at the next table said it was very good and we should try it. And it was.

Andy, our Singapore food expert.

Owner of the restaurant, a very kind elderly pakcik (melayu)

The guys ordered the beef hor fun in opeh dish and I noticed the couple at the next table had gear box mee hun opeh which looked increadibly tasty too. But me myself just ordered nasi and telur dadar (A!) that night because I didn't feel so adventurous. I tasted some of Mazlan's though and it was not bad (average of 3.5 out of 5 from the guys). I would say a good sound B from my few spoonfuls. The opeh leaves are worth the drive all the way from Chinatown nevertheless, its the only time you can relate to all those Lat cartoons. You can't find it no where else in the world. 

Enjoying Singapore. 

Inside Noorjannah's Kitchen. 

The mosque at Changi Road, Kembangan, Singapore.
Very conveniently located across the road from Al-Jannah.

Masjid Kassim is just across the street less than 30 m away from the restaurant (waze it!) and after dinner we went and had our jama' ta'khir maghrib and isya' prayers there. Side note, be careful of smoking in Singapore because it's illegal and you could be fined SGD$300 or thrown into jail for polluting the air and jeopardizing the health of others. Don't say I didn't warn you. They have cameras all over in this small country. And RFID detectors for that card they make you buy for your car.  :O

Noorjannah's menu. Click to enlarge.

NoorJannah's Kitchen
Kembangan, Singapore (waze it!)

Cleanliness: B
Food: B; A for being creativity though!
Price: A -- for Singapore, it was OK
Service: B+
Atmosphere: B
Satisfaction level: A -- enjoyed the night out immensely